Welcome to the World of Third Generation Gravesians!

Here are their stories, compiled and edited by Tom Christensen:

From back cover: Certainly the fact that Grave’s theory meets the standards of an excellent theory, i.e. it predicts, explains, and describes, is critically important. However, beyond this technical artistry there is a prescient wisdom embedded in his thought. We know that theories of self are introjected at every fractal level, and thereby become psychoactive. Graves has offered us a theory that entails the solutions to the stunning array of intractable problems we now face. In studying his theory we begin to see ourselves as the theory asserts and this fosters our own change trajectory in this very direction. Graves’s theory is creating the human of the future, the human with the solutions to the problems of the present.

Who would gain from the information in volume 1? - Those responsible for the healthy emergence of cities, states, countries, non-profits and businesses. - Those guiding the emergence of students from elementary school thru university. - Those concerned with money, finance, lending, and what is next for capitalism. - Those facilitating fulfillment for those disabled, impoverished or in underdeveloped rural areas. - Those wishing a deeper and more practical understanding of large systems and their change.

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From back cover: Professor Clare W. Graves has artfully provided us a window into human nature that provides actionable insights into the three core orienting questions of existence: Where were we? Where are we? Where will we be? Follow the experiences of these Third Generation Gravesians as they use Graves’ maturation map to empower, free, and realize possibilities totally new for our times.

Who would gain from the information in volume 2? - Those who have always wondered why the Comte fell asleep in Vianne’s shop window. - Those who want a more nuanced understanding as therapists, facilitators, counselors and coaches. - Those still curious about how to make sex, romance, and the rest of intimacy all it was hoped to be. - Those who love a personal story of challenges, triumphs, and epiphanies, and a life full of learning. - Those who wish a deeper and more practical, life-span, understanding of themselves and others.

Pick your version below describing the books.

10 seconds: A General Systems Theory view of human nature. Stories about the Gravesian approach to human emergence and how to foster this living process.

30 seconds: A self help story book for entities of any size, 1 to 1 billion. Here are stories of how people and collectives grow and mature and what to do to further this living process. Vol 1 focuses on larger entities, businesses, communities, nations, etc. Vol 2 focuses on individuals and relationships.

45 seconds: Entities of any size mature in a recognizable pattern. This pattern is a trajectory of increasing complexity, and stabilizes at periodic levels. As maturity emerges at each new level the choices made at earlier levels can now be refined, and the challenges peculiar to the newest level can be engaged. These volumes articulate this maturation trajectory, characterize the levels of stability, and specify the Life Conditions co emerging with each level. It is in viewing human nature and human change in this systemic vision that we reveal the hidden code that human nature’s maturing emergence forms around: We can know who we are, what is needed, and what to do.

The Background Story

Professor Clare W. Graves, a long time researcher and educator at Union College, Schenectady, NY summed up his research on adult human development with his "cyclical, double helix, emergent, bio-psycho-social theory of adult human existence". At this same time his colleague and friend Abraham Maslow publicized his ground-breaking "5 level hierarchy of human needs". The notion of five levels to characterize human nature was much easier grasped by those with interest and quickly gained wide recognition. Graves's more complex vision, constructed around the newly emerging General Systems Theory model would have to wait for minds to emerge the requisite complexity to appreciate his work and insights.

Time has passed and finally a critical mass of the curious have found Graves and the art and wisdom he embedded in his theory. Thirty-three of those curious, Third Generation Gravesians, have written up their notes from the field, reporting on how they have actually applied Grave's theory. These reports are the main content in the books noted above.

All the work here is dedicated to the Seventh Generation Gravesians, those who we might expect to study this material and consider it a nice step forward, but way too simple to capture what they now see.